Pingfan
After the party, Chu Yiran sat in the car on his way home, staring blankly at the night view rushing past the window.
Sun Xiaoxiao's phone kept vibrating. She typed a message quickly, excitedly and nervously saying, "Brother Ran, Sister Kelly's phone has been ringing off the hook! Everyone's calling to ask if you're really going to do that period drama with Teacher Su Jing again? My goodness, after what you said at the party, now half the industry knows!"
Chu Yiran leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed wearily, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
He knew Sun Xiaoxiao was telling the truth. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Su Jing emphatically revealed the details of "Wang Wei as director and producer" and "the script was polished three times." He himself admitted that "it was indeed true." With so many industry veterans and media present, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept the job.
He took a deep breath: "Tell Kelly that I have agreed to Su Jing's request. I can join the crew as soon as the contract is signed."
Sun Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting him to confirm so quickly. Then she excitedly agreed and started replying to messages in a flurry.
——
The next morning, while Chu Yiran was still struggling with a hangover, the doorbell rang. Sun Xiaoxiao walked in carrying a thick file folder, her face beaming with joy.
"Ran-ge, the script has arrived! Zhao Wei sent it to us via Flash early this morning," she handed the file bag to Chu Yiran, "The script is called 'Old Dream'."
Chu Yiran opened the file bag, and the first thing that caught her eye was the project outline—
Historical context: Late Republican era
Core Story: Two young people from vastly different backgrounds, yet sharing the same ideals, meet and become close friends amidst chaos, embracing life and death together and throwing themselves into the torrent of national righteousness. However, as the situation changes and subtle differences in their beliefs arise, they face a difficult choice at a crucial crossroads, ultimately choosing different paths. Their deep friendship and patriotic sentiments intertwine to create a poignant tale of joy and sorrow amidst the turbulent times…
Upon seeing the synopsis, Chu Yiran's heart skipped a beat, as if he were glimpsing a microcosm of his past life with Su Jing.
"Sister Kelly met with the production team early this morning to sign the contract. They said if everything's alright, they'll officially announce it on Weibo by noon today..." Sun Xiaoxiao scrolled through her phone, "Hey Ran-ge, the official announcement's out—"
Sun Xiaoxiao handed her phone to Chu Yiran, and a text message immediately caught her eye—
@Movie "The Dream of the Past": Amidst the chaos of war, a new chapter begins for the classic tale. The film "The Dream of the Past" has officially launched, starring: @Chu Yiran and @Su Jing (listed alphabetically by surname, in no particular order). Amidst a shattered land, faith burns brightly. We look forward to embarking on this journey across time with you all.
The comment section below instantly exploded—
"No??? Equal distribution?! Am I seeing things?"
"Su Jing and Chu Yiran are on equal footing? What makes Chu Yiran, with his status, deserve this?"
"Has Chu Yiran managed to curry favor with someone powerful? Why is Su Jing praising him so much?"
"Weren't the two companies on bad terms? How long after 'Autumn Wind' was filmed did they collaborate again?"
"Um... why does this feel strangely likable? It's a second collaboration, and it even has two male leads, tsk tsk..."
...
Chu Yiran stared at the words "Sorted alphabetically by last name, in no particular order" on the screen. Her fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the phone, her knuckles turning bluish-white.
His throat tightened: "How could Su Jing and I be equals?"
Sun Xiaoxiao's eyes widened, and she lowered her voice mysteriously, saying, "Brother Ran, it's said that when the screenwriter was writing the script, the two male leads had roughly the same amount of screen time, so he asked the director if they could be billed equally. But the competition for billing order in the Chinese entertainment industry is so fierce that the production company didn't agree. In the end, it was Teacher Su Jing who personally spoke up, saying that the two leads in the script are equal confidants, and that this must be reflected in the publicity, otherwise he wouldn't take the job..."
Su Jing, what exactly... do you want to do?
——
Amidst the clamor of discussion, the crew of "The Dream of the Past" quietly began filming. The atmosphere on set was, as outsiders had speculated, extremely subtle.
Chu Yiran plays a wealthy young master who has returned from studying abroad, dressed in a suit and exuding confidence. Su Jing, on the other hand, plays a progressive student, wearing a slightly worn school uniform and round-framed glasses. He has a refined and scholarly air, with clear and firm eyes, and actually has the air of a literary youth from the Republican era, which is quite different from his usual cold and aloof appearance.
The first scene is where the two meet for the first time in the library. They get to know each other because of a banned book and have a pleasant conversation.
Su Jing pushed up his glasses, immersed in his role, and spoke with the enthusiasm and sincerity unique to a student: "The experiences and thoughts you brought back from overseas have truly enlightened me. In this chaotic world, it is rare to meet a friend like you who has such unique insights and like-minded interests."
He paused, his gaze clear as he looked at Chu Yiran through his glasses, and slowly said, "Sometimes I think, if we could put aside worldly status and prejudices, and just follow our hearts, find a true friend, and talk freely about family, country, and the world, that would be the greatest joy in life."
Chu Yiran was slightly taken aback, as if he had been burned by Su Jing's serious yet suggestive gaze.
If one could set aside status and position... true friends are hard to find... Chu Yiran was deeply moved and for a moment forgot to respond.
"Cut!" Director Wang Wei's voice rang out, tinged with amusement. "Yi Ran, what's wrong? Were you moved by Su Jing's lines?"
A soft, friendly chuckle rippled through the set. Su Jing also smiled slightly, his smile softening beneath his glasses, losing some of his usual aloofness and gaining a gentler quality.
Chu Yiran touched his nose somewhat awkwardly, and quickly composed himself: "Sorry, director, let's do another take."
He quickly composed himself, suppressing the turbulent thoughts swirling within him, and a genuinely longing smile appeared on his lips: "Yes, to have a true friend in life is enough to soothe the weariness of life. From now on, shall we agree to meet here every Sunday afternoon?"
Su Jing's eyes behind his glasses curved into a smile, his gaze clear and sincere. In a daze, he seemed to see his past life, in the remote and desolate palace of the North Fifth Palace, where the young Su Jing sat side by side with him on the veranda in the afternoon when no one was around, or hid in the shade of the locust tree whose branches were becoming lush.
Back then, Su Jing didn't have as much scheming and ruthlessness as he would later become. When listening to him recount interesting stories from outside the palace, discuss military strategies, or even treasonously discuss politics, he would show a similar focused and bright look in his eyes...
"Cut! Excellent! That emotional delivery was spot on!" the director exclaimed with satisfaction. "Teachers, take a break, let's prepare for the next scene."
The staff around them all sprang into action, but Chu Yiran and Su Jing remained standing there staring at each other. Zhao Wei came over first and handed the hot water bottle to Su Jing, then unfolded his down jacket and draped it over him.
Before we knew it, it was deep winter. The cold wind was like a whip wrapped in ice shards, lashing the makeshift film studio with a clanging sound.
Su Jing finally looked away from Chu Yiran's face and stepped forward to put the hot water bottle into Chu Yiran's slightly cool arms.
"Go back and rest." Su Jing's voice was low, with a hint of hoarseness. After saying this, he turned and left.
"Brother Ran, put on your clothes quickly! You must be freezing!" Sun Xiaoxiao, who arrived late, ran over carrying a heavy down jacket and quickly draped it over Chu Yiran's shoulders.
A warm touch came from his palm, and Chu Yiran's fingertips unconsciously tightened. Looking at Su Jing's back, he said, "Let's go."
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